An Arranged Marriage

by Susan Fox

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  THOSE next days were some of the worst of Allison’s life. Because Aunt Pet was still around, she put up a calm, cheery front. Aunt Pet remarked once on the fact that she was pale and seemed tired, but Allison discovered she possessed a bit of modest acting ability. She managed to convince her aunt that the excitement of the last weeks and her heavier volunteer schedule was the cause.

  She almost never saw Blue. He was up well before dawn, and he came to the house for bed only after he thought she was asleep. Every night they would lay next to each other, the silence between them thundering in the still room. Blue was so stiff beside her most of the night that she wondered if either of them ever truly slept.

  Aunt Pet consulted an attorney, filed for divorce and had the papers served on Charles at the bank. When she insisted that Charles move out of the house, he refused. Until Sheriff Reynolds went to speak to him one evening on an unofficial visit and managed to convince him.

  She and Aunt Pet speculated about what the sheriff had said to Charles to accomplish that, but Allison secretly suspected Sheriff Reynolds might have resorted to force. Neither man said a word about it.

  By the end of the week, Martha had returned from San Antonio, and she and Petula had moved back into Pet’s home. Without them, Blue’s huge house seemed cavernous and lonely.

  At first, Allison put in more hours at the hospital and more time with the church daycare, where she also donated her time. She worked through the long evenings at the new animal shelter where every dog or cat brought in was cared for until a home was found for them. Because the animals were never euthanized, the shelter was always desperate for people to donate their time and money.

  Despite Blue’s nearly complete avoidance of her and her dismal feelings about that, she tried to have faith that things would get better between them. She spoke to no one about her troubles with Blue, but often in those days, she slipped away to the church to think things over.

  It was during one of those first quiet visits to the church that she remembered Blue’s initial reaction to her gifts and how hurt she’d been. The memory of his confession later when he’d apologized to her and thanked her, still seemed so wonderful that it brought tears to her eyes. Blue was a good man. She had to believe he’d come around. It was not in his nature to be cruel, whatever he’d said to her that afternoon. He was too fair-minded and considerate of others not to eventually see that he was being unreasonable on the subject of love. If he could just overcome his pain and mistrust, she’d never let him down.

  It was late that second week when Allison decided she’d had enough. She canceled her work for the day and changed into riding clothes. One of the stable hands saddled a horse for her. She found out where Blue was working, then set out in the direction of one of the hay barns that was a distance from the new headquarters.

  An inner radar that was always peculiarly attuned to Allison’s presence hummed in his chest. Before he even caught sight of her riding out to the hay barn where he was doing repairs, he sensed her.

  While she was still a long way out, he sent the two men working with him to another task on another part of the ranch. The sun was getting too high to work on the barn roof much longer anyway. He pretended not to notice the knowing look the two men gave each other when they caught sight of his wife.

  His wife. Of all the things he owned, of all the things he treasured, Allison, his wife, was so far and away the most precious to him, he wasn’t certain how he stood it. Especially after he’d said the hateful things he’d said, after the way he’d spurned her love.

  Because he did love her. She’d been right to call him a liar, because that’s exactly what he was. Not that he’d set out to be a liar, but because the truth had seemed such a terrible thing to face that he’d pretended it didn’t exist.

  The truth was, he’d loved Allison long before he’d decided to marry her, long before he struck oil and got rich. He’d loved her longer than she’d even known he was alive.

  One of the joys of his life had been that time she’d got a flat tire on a gravel road. Because he followed any tidbit of information he ever read or heard about her, he’d known she’d been over to the Caseys’ little ranch, helping out with the kids while their mother had gone into the hospital for surgery.

  Because it had been one of those endlessly lonely days, he’d found an excuse to drive down the old road that went past Casey’s on the pretense of checking the part of his fence that ran parallel to it. It had been an adolescent impulse, but he’d been hoping for a glimpse of Allison if they passed on the road.

  But instead of some fleeting glimpse, he’d found her stranded by a flat tire. She’d managed to get out the jack and the spare tire, but he’d arrived before she would have had to change it herself. One of the pleasures and torments of his adult life had been changing that tire for her, catching her watching him, listening to her soft sweet voice as she’d thanked him for coming along and doing such a nice thing for her.

  His feet hadn’t touched the ground for days afterward. It had been one of the few times in his life that he’d allowed himself to indulge in such foolish joy. Foolish joy, but safe, because at the time, Allison Lancaster had been so far out of his universe she might as well have been from another planet.

  The moment he’d struck oil and become a millionaire, he’d been launched into her orbit. But he’d also been in unfamiliar territory. He’d managed to get her, to take advantage of her uncle’s greed so she’d marry him, but once he had her, he’d realized how dangerous his feelings for her were.

  He’d gone so far wrong the other day when he’d spoke rough to her, he was certain neither of them would ever get over it. It was certain she’d never forgive him. He reckoned he’d have to live for the rest of his days with the bitter knowledge that he’d spoiled her love for him, maybe even killed it.

  Remorse gave his heart another heavy jolt. He wished he could take back every hateful word he’d said to her. If she wanted him to cut out his heart to make it right, he would. But he didn’t know what she wanted. It might be kinder to give her an out, to offer her a divorce.

  The notion made him sick, but it might be the only thing he could do to make up for things. As he used the ladder and got down from the roof, he tried to toughen his heart. But the high, wide wall that used to do most of that for him was broken down. That day in the bedroom of the old house, it had shattered like a dried-up clay pot.

  When he got to the foot of the ladder and stepped on solid ground, he grabbed his shirt off a sawhorse and stepped into the shade just inside the wide doors of the hay barn. The sweet smell of hay was familiar to him, and the scent was about the only comfort he was able to feel right now.

  Allison slowed her horse when she was several feet from the hay barn, then walked the horse in.

  Blue was drinking ice water from a steel thermos. He capped the lid and set the thermos aside as she drew her horse to a halt.

  “What’re you doin’ out in this hot sun, Miz Allis? It’s gonna be a scorcher.”

  Allison’s heart lifted. Considering Blue had barely spoken to her the past two weeks, it was a lot for him to say. The fact that he seemed to care that she was out in the Texas heat made her think he might still care about her.

  “Might as well climb down and come into the shade.”

  Allison dismounted and led the horse past him through the huge doors. She tossed the reins over an old rail. The smell of hay was strong and sweet. She took a fortifying breath of it and turned to see Blue was facing her while he finished buttoning his shirt.

  He was so tall and strong and rugged. His black Stetson was tipped back slightly on his head and the straight dark hair she could see beneath his hat brim was curled with perspiration. His big hands managed the buttons on his shirt with a masculine grace that reminded her of their wedding day, when he’d unbuttoned her dress.

  The memory of what that had felt like—what it felt like any time he touched her, sent a quake of he
at through her. His eyes were fixed on hers, but he’d carefully shielded whatever he might be thinking. Her courage began to fail her, and she had to force herself go through with what she’d planned to say.

  “I’ve come to tell you that I know what you’re doing.”

  It surprised her to see that he continued to watch her calmly, as if what she’d said had made him only mildly curious. There was no trace of anger in his look. She sensed he wasn’t on guard, though he seemed tense, almost as if he was bracing himself for something.

  His voice was somber. “What am I doing?”

  Allison took a nervous breath. “I think you’re putting me to the test, making things difficult so you can see what I’ll do. I think I understand why, but I came to tell you that you might as well give me a passing grade. Because I’m not going to leave you unless you physically throw me out of your house. Even then, I’ll never stop loving you.”

  It was a bold declaration, but this was no time to mince words. Blue’s expression made her feel sad, though she couldn’t have said why. His jaw had firmed, but he gave no outward indication of melancholy.

  “You might feel that way now,” he said, his voice low and faintly rough, “but what about next year? Five years?”

  She caught the glimmer of bleakness that flashed past his calm facade. “Love is more than a rush of hormones and sentiment, Blue. It’s also a commitment.” She stopped briefly. Blue suddenly seemed easy to speak to, easy to reach. She smiled softly. “By the way, there will be no child by next spring. I’ve decided I’m not ready to share you just yet.”

  Blue glanced down, his hat brim shielding his eyes. She felt her heart squeeze at the gesture. The feeling of melancholy grew stronger.

  “What about the other day? The things I said…”

  She battled the strong sting of tears, but kept silent to give him time to finish speaking.

  “I should never have said hard words to you. You’ve never been anything but kind to me. Patient. More than I deserve.”

  His hat brim came up and he looked over at her with an intensity that was almost painful. “I had no cause to talk to you that way. I wish I could take the words back and make them like they never got said. But I can’t and I’m sorry. I hope you can forgive me.”

  Allison was overwhelmed. “I forgave you right away.”

  She moved toward him. Hesitantly at first then, unable to stop herself, she ran to him. He caught her in a fierce hug that lifted her feet off the ground. She hugged him just as fiercely. She pressed her mouth against his shoulder to muffle a sob, but the next ones were torn from her.

  Blue placed desperate kisses to her hair. “Don’t cry, baby,” he whispered gruffly. “I can’t bear the sound of it.” The pain in his voice touched her.

  She drew back only far enough to see his stricken expression. She placed a hand gently to his cheek. “These are happy tears, Blue. I love you so much.”

  He didn’t answer, but kissed her cheek then crushed her against him. His voice was ragged. “I love you. You’re more precious to me than I can ever tell you—oh, God…”

  The words were a fervent prayer. Suddenly, the kisses he’d placed in her hair weren’t enough. He found her mouth and their lips fused hotly.

  Before she realized he’d moved, he laid her down on a raft of fragrant hay bales. He didn’t break off the kiss. It was several more moments before he slid his mouth off hers and he drew back to look down at her.

  “I think I fell in love with you the afternoon I saw you in front of the movie house downtown. Some Disney movie was playin’ and you were there with about a half dozen little kids. They were holdin’ hands, goin’ two by two right along behind you like a double row of baby ducks.” His face was so solemn that she reached up to touch his cheek. It was as if something new had blossomed inside him, something good that sent a torrent of words and happiness flooding out.

  “You had on a pink dress with little straps that tied on the shoulders. Your skirt was short enough for me to see what fine legs you had, but it was your face that kept me looking. And your kind eyes. I watched you with those kids. There was one who had an ornery look about him, but he was a little angel with you.”

  Allison stared up at him, surprised and thrilled by the story. “Where were you? I would have noticed you.”

  “I was sittin’ in my truck, waiting for the stoplight to change. Other than the fact that I sat through the next three lights while I ogled you, there was no reason you would have seen me. You were so far above me and my life. You were a sweet dream that made me watch for you every time I went to town.”

  “I wish I’d known you then.”

  Blue shook his head. “I wasn’t fit for you. I may not be now, but there’s no way I’m gonna give you back. If you really do love me and want to stay, I’ll do my best to make sure you’re never sorry.”

  “Oh, Blue, I love you so much.” She lifted up to close those few inches between them. Blue met her halfway, and his heart at last soared free.

  EPILOGUE

  BLUE and Allison Sumner stood at the altar of the Chaney Community Church at another wedding more than a year later.

  This time, Blue was the best man for his former butler, Edward Stansbury, who was now the proud owner of the small Texas ranch that he’d saved all his life to buy. Edward was dressed in a black Western suit with a string tie and black dress cowboy boots that had been polished to a mirror shine. He’d quit being a butler and gone Texan, and intended to live out his life as a gentleman rancher with the woman of his dreams at his side.

  Allison was matron of honor for the bride. Aunt Petula was dressed in an ivory linen suit with a matching hat that had a short stiff veil. Her skin was tanned these days, and her face was radiant with joy. She was going to be a rancher’s wife. She meant to work alongside her man and have the kind of loving marriage and happy life she’d never had with her former husband.

  Behind them, the church was packed with wedding guests. Sheriff Lem Reynolds had just given the bride away, and was walking back down the church aisle to where his beautiful wife sat, her green eyes tearing up.

  He sat down quietly, grinned at her, then passed her a huge white hanky. As he sat back in the pew, his enjoyment of the wedding service was made sweeter by the memory of his happy task two weeks ago.

  He’d gone to Chaney Bank with federal bank authorities, presented Charles Wallace with the warrant for his arrest for embezzling, then had the added pleasure of having Charles spend a significant number of hours as a guest in his jail before he and his new lawyer could get in front of a judge.

  Allison’s friend John Blake had been found working in a bank in Austin. An intense investigation turned up no evidence that the young man had stolen a thing. In fact, Blake’s record and reputation were spotless.

  Charles’s record turned out to be less than spotless. Thanks to a tip from one of Charles’s own employees, federal officials had dug deep into the bank’s workings and come up with enough evidence to arrest Charles for embezzling the bank’s money on a scale that made Lem Reynolds’s scalp tingle.

  No one was too sorry that Charles might face a few years in jail. Not even the woman who claimed she’d given birth out-of-wedlock to his child. The woman had dropped her paternity suit months ago after Petula had approached her. Because everyone knew that Charles was going to fight the suit to the end, even though paternity tests had proved he was the father, Petula had stepped in on the child’s behalf. She’d set up a very generous plan to see that the woman had more than enough financial support to raise her son, including the full payment of college expenses for the little boy when the time came.

  But, that was just like Petula. It did Lem’s heart good to see a fine woman like her find a decent man good enough to make her happy.

  In fact, along with Allison and her husband, Blue, the four of them were just one happy group of folks. Like him and his Sandy.

  Lem Reynolds raised his arm to rest it on the pew behind his wife’s shoul
ders, then sat back to enjoy the wedding.

  ISBN: 978-1-4603-6491-8

  AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE

  First North American Publication 2000.

  Copyright © 1998 by Susan Fox.

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

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